The Energy Savings Scheme is a NSW-based energy efficiency scheme which commenced on 1 July 2009. The objectives of the Energy Savings Scheme are:

• to assist households and businesses to reduce electricity consumption and electricity costs;
• to complement any national scheme for carbon pollution reduction by making the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions achievable at a lower cost; and
• to reduce the cost of, and the need for, additional energy generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure.

The Energy Savings Scheme is designed to increase opportunities to improve energy efficiency by placing obligations on parties to undertake or pay for energy efficiency programs, and rewarding companies that undertake eligible projects that either reduce electricity consumption or improve the efficiency of electricity use. It was developed as a complementary but independent measure to the proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

For information about the NSW Energy Savings Scheme go to http://www.ess.nsw.gov.au/Home